Shock absorber



May Il, 193% F- A- DEUTSCH 1,956,712

SHOCK ABSORBER Filed Aug. 16. 1933 Patented May l, 1934 "STD STATES FFECDivided and this application August 16, 1933, Serial No. 685,381. InGermany November 12, 1930 Claims.

My invention relates to shock absorbers, and more particularly uidoperated shock absorbers, such as described in my application forpatent, Serial No. 575,385, led on November 16, 1931,

vof which this is a division.

The object of the present invention is to provide on a motor vehicle twoopposed shock absorbers so designed as to produce, in addition to theirshock absorbing function, a stabilizing effect so as to eiectivelyresist any tendency of the vehicle body to turn over about itslongitudinal axis, as the vehicle is driven around curves, wherebysafety in driving a motor Vehicle is considerably enhanced.

The two shock absorbers, moreover, are so constructed that as long asthey operate in the same direction, they function upon the expansion ofthe vehicle springs independently of each other purely as shockabsorbers with full effect, while upon spring compression, theirshock-absorbing function is only slight. However, the combined two shockabsorbers are so connected that in the event of the two shock absorbersmoving in opposite direction, in which caseonly one of the shockabsorbers operates with full eiect, the latter, by means or" saidconnection, acts upon an element of the other shock absorber in such away that also said other shock absorber operates with full effect,whereby any tendency of the vehicle body to turn over is positivelyopposed by both shook absorbers and the stability of the vehicle thus isat all times insured.

Furthermore, a means is provided whereby the stabilizing action of thetwo shock absorbers is made entirely independent of the adjustment ofthe eiectiveness of their shock-absorbing function, so that the maximumstabilizing effect is always maintained.

On the attached drawing, on which I have illustrated my inventionsomewhat diagrammatically by way of various embodiments,

Fig. l is a sectional view of two interconnected fluid-operated shockabsorbers adapted to act singly as shock absorbers and combined as a 5stabilizer; Fig. 2 a sectional detail View of a throttling elementadapted to be used in place of the throttling element shown in Fig. 10;and Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are small diagrams illustrating the manner, inwhich the two shock absorbers may be mounted on a motor vehicle.

In Figure 1 two interconnected shock absorbers are shown. Each shockabsorber comprises a casing 1 which, by a partition wall 2, is dividedinto a cylinder l0 and a refill chamber C. Within the cylinder 10 is apiston 3 which, by an arm 9, is connected with a shaft 22 which isunderstood to be suitably coupled with the axle or chassis of a vehicleso that the piston is moved in one direction or the other depending uponwhether the vehicle springs are being compressed or are actingexpansively. The piston 3 divides the cylinder 10 into what willhereafter be termed high and low pressure chambers designated as a andZ7, respectively, in which connection it is to be understood that whenthe vehicle springs are undergoing compression the piston 3 is movedinto the low pressure chamber b, and when the vehicle springs are actingexpansively said piston is moved into the high pressure chamber a.

The piston 3 is provided medially with an annular channel or the like,designated as 23, which is in substantially constant communication withthe rell chamber C through an opening in the wall 2 through which thearm 9 extends. EX- tending through the piston from each end thereof tothe channel 23 are ducts 11, 11, and cooperating with each duct is acheck valve 12 which permits :dow of duid from the refill chamber C tothe related pressure chamber and which serves to prevent reverse iiow ofthe fluid with which the shock absorber is understood to be charged.

In the casing 1 is formed a duct 24 which is substantially constantly incommunication with the rell chamber C through the channel 23 of thepiston 3 and which also is in constant communication with a pair ofducts 4, 4a, the former of which leads to the outer end of the lowpressure chamber b and the latter oi which leads to the outer end of thehigh pressure chamber a.

Disposed transversely with respect to the duct 4 is a valve chamber 6within which is slidably mounted a valve 7 which, under the influence ofa spring 26, tends constantly to assume a position permitting flow cifluid through the duct A; and which, when moved against the force of thespring 26, is effective to deny flow of duid through the duct 4 betweenthe duct 24 and the low pressure chamber b. In the valve 7 is formed abore 7a which establishes communication between the low pressure chamberIJ and the outer end of the valve chamber 6 when the valve is movedinwardly against its spring 26 to deny communication between said lowpressure chamber and the rell chamber through the duct 24 and the pistonchannel 23.

Between the valve chamber 6 and the duct 24 is a valve or throttlingelement 17 which is provided to control iiow of uid through the duct 4,said element 17 being movable between a position to deny ow of iiuidthrough the duct 4 and a position in which flow of fluid through saidduct is permitted through a metering bore formed in said throttlingelement.

Between the duct 24 and the high pressure chamber a are two spaced apartvalve or throttling elements 18 and 19 which are or may be duplicates ofthe thrcttling element 17 and which are provided to control now of fluidthrough the duct 4a.

Communicating with the duct 4a between the valve or throttling elements18 and 19 is a duct 27.

The duct 27 of each shock absorber is connected by a conduit 8 with theouter end of the valve chamber 6 of the other shock absorber.

The operation of the construction shown in Fig. 1 is as follows:

When the vehicle body, in the case of spring compression, movesdownwards, the piston 3 in both shock absorbers, because of acorresponding rotation of the shaft indicated by the circle in therefill chamber c, moves toward the low-pressure chamber b and the liquiddisplaced from this chamber flows through the bore 4 and the throttlingelement 17 toward the refill chamber c. The downward movement of thevehicle body is damped according to the degree of throttling by thethrottling element 17.

When the vehicle body, upon the subsequent expansion of the springs,moves upwards, the piston 3 in either shock absorber moves toward thehigh pressure chamber a therein, and the fluid in said chamber passesthrough the throttling element 19 and the connecting pipe 8 into thevalve chamber of the other shock absorber where it rst acts to move thevalve 7 of the latter shock absorber to deny flow of fluid through theduct 4 and then is admitted to the low pressure chamber b depending onunfilled space in said chamber. The damping effect resulting there- Jvfrom is determined by the throttling element 19.

If the vehicle body tends to tip to one side, the pistons of the twoshock absorbers move in opposite direction, and the piston of the shockabsorber moving toward the high pressure chamber operates the pistonvalve 7 of the other shock absorber. The pistons are now working oneagainst the other in a space having no outlet for the fluid, andconsequently, the tipping movement of the vehicle body is effectivelyresisted by both shock absorbers, as above described in connection withthe other embodiments.

The closure element 18 is adapted to more or less close the connectionbetween the high pressure chamber and the refill chamber, so that thefluid, which by the pistons in both shock absorbers is simultaneouslydisplaced. when the two shock absorbers act as stabilizers, can escapemore or less throttled. By means of this closure element 18, thestabilizing function can be rendered effective or ineffective, or itseffectiveness can thereby be regulated.

In Fig. 2 is shown a special construction of the piston valve 7, wherebythe throttling element 19 may be dispensed with.

When the springs of the vehicle are compressed, the fluid in the shockabsorbers flows from the high pressure chamber toward the low pressurechamber, being throttled by the very narrow bore 20 of the piston valve7 shown in Fig. 2, while, at the same time, the L-shaped bore in saidvalve is closed by a ball-valve, 21.

On the return of the now of fluid from the low pressure chamber to thehigh pressure chamber, however, the flow remains unthrottled, theballvalve 21 remaining open.

Figs. 3-5 illustrate in a diagrammatic manner the way, in which the twointerconnected shock absorbers may be mounted on the vehicle. Instead ofthe two shock absorbers being either connected only with the front orthe rear axle, they can be connected one with a iront wheel and theother with a rear wheel, in which case the vehicle is stabilized notonly about its longitudinal, but also about its transverse axis. Thelatter is of especial importance, since in that case, the movements ofthe front of the vehicle in opposite direction to the rear thereof areeffectively opposed.

If the shock absorbers are mounted on the vehicle as shown by Figs. 4and 5, the vehicle is stabilized only about its transverse axis. Asshown in Fig. 4, two shock absorbers are mounted each on the same sideof the vehicle and are connected with each other, while in Fig. 5 aconnected pair of shock absorbers is shown as being mounted at the frontand rear of the Vehicle.

What I claim as new is:

1. In combination, two opposed shock absorbers, each including a highand a low pressure chamber and a refill chamber, a piston movablebetween the high and the low pressure chambers of each shock absorber, acheck valve controlled connection between each pressure chamber and therefill chamber of each shock absorber permitting flow of fluid from therefill chamber to each pressure chamber and denying reverse iiow of theuid, means providing a duct, separate from said check valve controlledconnection, between each pressure chamber and the refill chamber of eachshock absorber, a valve cooperating with the duct between the lowpressure chamber and the refill chamber of each shock absorber,yieldable means constantly tending to move each valve to a position topermit flow of fluid through the duct controlled thereby, a conduitleading from the duct between the high pressure chamber and the refillchamber of each shock absorber to the valve of the other shock absorber,the valve of each shock absorber being arranged to be moved to aposition to deny flow of fluid through the duct controlled therebybetween the related low pressure and refill chambers by pressure of thefluid generated in the high pressure chamber of the other shockabsorber, each valve being constructed and arranged so that when movedto the position mentioned it establishes communication between the lowpressure chamber of the related shock absorber and the high pressurechamber of the other shock absorber.

2. The combination as set forth in claim l including a fluid ow controlmember cooperating with the duct between the high pressure chamber andthe refill chamber of each shock absorber, said member being located insaid duct between the refill chamber and the point of connection withsaid duct of the related conduit.

3. The combination as set forth in claim l including a fluid flowcontrol member cooperating with the duct between the low pressurechamber and the refill chamber of each shock absorber,

said member being located in said duct between the valve and the rellchamber.

4. The combination as set forth in claim l including a uid flow controlmember cooperating with the duct between the high pressure chamber andthe rell chamber of each shock absorber, said member being disposed insaid duct between the high pressure chamber and the point of connectionwith said duct of the related conduit.

5. The combination as set forth in claim 1 in KK nu which the valve ofeach shock absorber is provided with a bore which connects the relatedduct with the related conduit when the valve is moved to a position todeny flow of uid between the related low pressure and rell chambers; inwhich each valve is provided with means to deny flow of iuid throughsaid bore from the related conduit to the related low pressure chamberand

